The term “article” is understood as a three-dimensional object which has mass and occupies space. Articles are composed of matter. Solids have a solid shape and can be described by boundary surfaces. The present invention relates primarily to a processing machine for processing articles that have rigid and/or inflexible boundary surfaces, preferably round articles and/or hollow articles, each having curved and/or rounded and/or convex boundary surfaces, in particular hollow articles to be used as containers, with the processing of said boundary surfaces consisting preferably in the decoration thereof, in particular in the printing thereof. Articles of this type are used, e.g. as packaging, in particular as primary packaging for a specified, i.e. predetermined volume of, e.g. a liquid or pasty or powdered packaged product, with the article in question at least partially, preferably fully enclosing the packaged product. Each of the articles to be processed by the processing machine is configured, e.g. as a bottle or as a flacon or as a can or as a canister or as a tube. The articles to be processed, which are manufactured, e.g. as integral or as multi-component articles, are each made partially or fully, e.g. of glass or a ceramic or a plastic or a metallic material.
EP 2 995 453 A1 discloses a transport device for transporting objects that are to be and have been processed in a processing machine, having a first conveying device and a second conveying device, a first conveyance path for these objects being rigidly predetermined with respect to the first conveying device and a second conveyance path being rigidly predetermined with respect to the second conveying device, wherein a transfer position of a transfer device, located in the second conveyance path of the second conveyance device, is provided for the transfer of objects from the first conveying device to the second conveying device and from the second conveying device to the first conveying device, and the second conveying device includes a holding device for holding one of the objects to be transported along the second conveyance path at a time, wherein objects moved by the first conveying device along the first conveyance path are moved continuously and the holding device of the second conveying device is moved discontinuously along the second conveyance path, wherein each of the objects to be transported is configured as a hollow article with a longitudinal axis, the respective longitudinal axis of each of the objects to be transported being arranged horizontally in the first conveyance path and in the second conveyance path.
EP 0 425 967 A2 discloses a screen printing method for printing onto objects that have at least one section with a non-round cross section, using a device that includes at least one holder for the object, arranged pivotably about an eccentric axis of the object, a screen printing stencil, and a doctor blade that is displaceable relative to said stencil, in which the holder for the object is moved into a first position and the object to be printed is likewise moved into a position that corresponds to the position of the holder, such that the longer cross-sectional axis of the section of the object to be printed extends substantially horizontally, and the object is picked up in this position by the holder, whereupon holder and object execute a first pivoting movement whereby holder and object are moved into a starting position in which a second pivoting movement begins, which is in opposition to the first pivoting movement, wherein at least during a portion of this second pivoting movement, the printing of the object takes place, and thus, when holder and object reach their end position at the end of the second pivoting movement, they execute a third pivoting movement in the direction of the first pivoting movement, such that at the end of the third pivoting movement, holder and object are back in the first position, in which the printed object is then removed from the holder.
DE 43 28 038 A1 discloses a web-fed printing machine having at least one printing unit and at least one roll changer for flying roll changes, in which roll changer a first roll containing a first material web is unwound for printing and is exchanged for a second roll containing a second wound material web, wherein the roll changer has a cutting and splicing device for connecting the beginning of the second wound material web to the end of the expiring wound material web, the first roll is mounted on a first driverless transport vehicle and the second roll is mounted on a second driverless transport vehicle, and the transport vehicles receive the rolls, which have been prepared for the splicing process by being provided with an adhesive pattern, in a preparation station.
DE 10 2015 106 238 A1, which was post-published, discloses an accumulating conveyor with a stationary guide means and with a number of workpiece carriers, wherein a drive and at least one engagement means, which is associated with said drive and is engaged with the guide means, is provided on each workpiece carrier, and the engagement means driven by the drive moves with the workpiece carrier along the guide means.
DE 38 26 830 A1 discloses a linear transfer device for workpiece carriers, having at least one guide rail, on which the workpiece carrier having an essentially U-shaped cross-section is guided via guide elements engaged in a positive-locking manner with the guide rail, the guide rail having an energy supply section on which the workpiece carrier engages by means of a power line, and a drive section on which a drive element borne by the workpiece carrier engages, which drive element is driven by a drive motor arranged in the workpiece carrier and supplied with power via the power line, and a control system for the drive of the workpiece carrier being provided, which has at least one switching element arranged on the end of the workpiece carrier, via which switching element the drive motor can be shut down when the switching element is actuated by one of the workpiece carriers following on the guide rail.
DE 10 2013 112 091 A1 discloses a device for placing objects on a processing machine configured as a continuously rotating carousel having processing stations arranged distributed around its periphery, and/or for removing objects from such a processing machine, said device having multiple transport devices, each for transporting an object from a first transfer position to a second transfer position and a receiving device for receiving said object at the first transfer position and for delivering said object to the second transfer position, each of the transport devices being guided on a revolving transport guide and being movable by a drive, independently of the other transport devices being guided on the revolving transport guide.
EP 2 100 733 A1 discloses a linear printing machine having interchangeable printing modules for printing on hollow articles, comprising: a) a transport system having a drive, with which the hollow articles to be printed on are transported through the linear printing machine, b) at least a first printing station and a second printing station, which is located downstream of the first printing station in the direction of conveyance of the hollow articles, c) at least one drying station for drying the ink on the printed hollow articles, and d) a machine controller which controls at least the transport of the hollow articles through the linear printing machine, e) wherein each of the printing stations is set up to accommodate a printing module having its own drive, and wherein the printing module can be connected to the machine controller via an interface, f) wherein the printing modules print on the hollow articles using a printing method selected from the following: screen printing and/or flexographic printing and/or offset printing and/or cold embossing and/or hot embossing and/or laser color transfer and/or inkjet printing.